Change in Public Drinking Water Supply Treatment - Chloramines
Hampstead Area Water Company • May 4, 2020
ATKINSON / HAMPSTEAD - CHANGE IN PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLY TREATMENT
Beginning in the summer of 2020, Hampstead Area Water Company, Inc. (HAWC) will begin using monochloramine as a residual disinfectant for the core drinking water distribution system in Atkinson and Hampstead. The change will only affect the HAWC core water
system in the towns of Atkinson and Hampstead, and is being made to make the existing chlorinated water supplies compatible with the chloraminated water that will be supplied by the town of Salem as part of the Southern New Hampshire Regional Water project. Chloramines are created by combining chlorine with ammonia at the drinking water treatment plants. Currently, chlorine is used as the residual disinfectant chemical to kill or inactivate bacteria, viruses and other potentially harmful organisms in drinking water. The maintenance of a residual disinfectant is not only to provide continued public health; it is required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES).
Chloramines are a safe, effective and long-lasting disinfectant that is widely used throughout the U.S. for public water disinfection. They are maintained in the distribution for longer periods of time than chlorine, allowing for longer, more consistent protection against harmful viruses and bacteria.
The U.S. EPA considers monochloramines a safe alternative to chlorine disinfection as it produces fewer disinfection byproducts.
The transition to monochloramines likely will not result in any noticeable difference to the water you experience, though in many cases customers have noted experiencing a reduced chlorine odor and improved taste. The transition to monochloramines will result in:
• Continued compliance with Federal and state water quality regulations
• Fewer disinfection byproducts
• Longer lasting water system disinfection
• Reduced chlorine taste and odor
Monochloramines are safe for drinking, cooking, bathing, and other typical uses, though they can be harmful to anyone experiencing dialysis treatment. Chloramines, like chlorine, are dangerous when they are directly introduced to the bloodstream.
Dialysis patients can utilize chloraminated water for the typical uses outlined previously, but it must be removed from any water source used by the dialysis machines. Hospitals and other medical centers that offer dialysis treatment are responsible for
removing chloramines from any water source prior to treatment and are to be notified of this anticipated change.
While it is also safe for pets to consume, chloramines can be harmful to fish and other aquatic life. Like the dialysis process, chloraminated water can directly enter the bloodstream of aquatic species through their gills and must be removed from the water prior to use in
fish tanks and other aquatic environments. This can be achieved using chloramine removal products, which are readily available at most pet supply stores. Unlike chlorine, allowing water to sit for a few days does not effectively eliminate the monochloramines, as chloramines last longer and will not dissipate.
For pools and spa systems, it is not recommended to use chloraminated source water for fresh fills (e.g. first fill of the season). If chloraminated source water is used for a fresh fill, pleas consult with a pool or water expert. Chloraminated source water can be used in lesser amounts to provide make-up water (to replace water loss due to backwashing, evaporation and/or splash out) for these systems, though users should still be sure to monitor the chlorine concentration in their system when doing so. Customers can get more information from the Hampstead Area Water Company, Inc. at: https://www.hampsteadwater.com
or by calling (603) 362-4299
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